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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — a face
  4. fork — in a road
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. root — the cause
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spring — the season
  14. root — of a word
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mug — a cup
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com